Thirteen Celebrities Who Were Trouble & Got Banned By Other Countries

The most difficult thing in the world is being a celebrity. As we’ve covered this topic before, celebrities will even write books to tell you how difficult their lives are.

In fact, the lives of celebrities are SO terrible that they can even get banned in certain countries! Thanks to Ranker, we have the definitive list of celebs who were so important and influential that they were barred from entering a certain country. Ever again. FOREVER.

Not sure if they put stamps like these on celebrities photos, but a non-celebrity can dream!

1. Martha Stewart VS The UK

She was barred from entry due to her criminal record. What criminal record, you ask? Well, back in 2004, she was suspected of foul play during an insider trading investigation. Upon being found guilty, Martha spent five months in prison. Enough reason for the UK immigration authorities

2. Paris Hilton VS Japan

Paris Hilton had to fly back home, all the way from Japan in 2010. The reason? Paris was convicted of drug possession for cocaine just two days before flying to Japan. Japan is notorious for being strict on drug-related immigration rules, so much so that they once shipped the Rolling Stones back to the US.

4. Miley Cyrus VS China & The Dominican Republic

In 2009, a photo of young Miley came out where she could be seen pulling back her eyelids and supposedly mocking Asians. This was enough for the Chinese authorities to ban her from entry. The Dominican Republic on the other hand found Miley “too immoral.”

6. Akon VS Sri Lanka

The suave R&B singer dared to dance in front of a Buddha statue in one of his videos. The segment was short and the Buddha was barely visible, but this was enough to spark violent protests in which four people were hurt. The Sri Lankan government decided to prevent him from entering the country.

7. Snoop Dogg VS Norway & The UK

Snoop Dogg once tried to enter Norway with marijuana in his pockets and was promptly turned back. However, the authorities were kind enough to make it a permanent ban of 2 years. Later, the rapper started a fight on an airport in the UK, prompting another ban. Keep ’em coming D.O.G.G.

8. Alec Baldwin VS The Philippines

Alec Baldwin’s irreverent sense of humor is sort of part of his job description, so he didn’t think much of it when he made a pun about getting himself a mail-order bride from the Philippines. However, the Filipinos did, and after a lot of outrage and government debate, they stated that: “Baldwin is forbidden from entering the country as he is deemed an undesirable alien.”

9. Selena Gomez VS Russia & China

Apparently, Selena Gomez’s LGBTQ activism didn’t sit well with Russia, a country that’s been pretty outspoken against “Western Imperialist gay propaganda.” So they refused her entry, which made Selena cancel her entire Eastern European tour. But it didn’t stop there – Selena took a selfie with the Dalai Lama in 2014, which then made China ban her entry in 2016. Crazy world.

10. Justin Bieber VS China

Or, in the words of the Chinese government: “Justin Bieber is a gifted singer, but he is also a controversial young foreign singer.” Apparently, he was promoting “bad behavior.” Or maybe he was just Selena’s boyfriend? Who knows!

11. Mike Tyson VS New Zealand

Besides biting off an ear and possessing an explosive temperament, the legendary boxer also spent jail time after being found guilty of rape in 1992. New Zealand didn’t forget about that, and when he tried to visit the country in 2012 for a speaking event, he was not allowed entry.

12. The Odd Future Collective VS New Zealand

Photo: Incase/Wikimedia Commons

The beep-the-system attitude and their controversial personas was enough to prompt New Zealand to ban the entire crew from performing at Eminem’s Rapture Festival in 2014. The authorities cited “potential threat to public order and the public interest.” Well, take a clue celebrities – New Zealand has no tolerance for your shenanigans.

13. Beyoncé VS Malaysia

The predominantly Muslim country didn’t feel comfortable with her aesthetic or performances. Her dance moves were deemed “too provocative” along with her skimpy attire. Covering herself more would’ve been permitted, but Queen Bey didn’t compromise, resulting in a barred entry. Nor surprising, however, since Malaysia has banned other celebrities too.